Biology

Physiology

Persian resembles large, quadruped felines, like mountain lions. Its tail has a distinctive whorl at the end, similar to its pre-evolution, Meowth. Its fur is pale tan with the exception of its black-rimmed ears. Perhaps its most distinctive feature is the red jewel in the center of its forehead. Many Pokémon, particularly those with Psychic abilities such as Espeon, Golduck, and Staryu, have similar jewels; Persian, however, does not demonstrate any affinities to a particular element, so this connection seems to be purely coincidental. Like Meowth and 'real-life' cats, Persian is capable of retracting its claws and bringing them out again when needed.

Gender differences

None.

Special abilities

Its thick whiskers are very sensitive to changes in air movements, enabling it to detect its prey by movement alone. Persian's lithe muscles also enable it to walk without making a sound. Persian has the same scratching abilities as its pre-evolution, but they are notably stronger. Persian can also wield the scarce Power Gem and Switcheroo moves.

Behavior

Persian, although popular for its elegance, is extremely difficult to raise as a pet. Underneath its refined facade is a fierce predator. It will Scratch anyone, including its Trainer, with little or no provocation. One should be wary if Persian raises its tail straight up, as it is a signal that Persian is about to pounce and bite. Persian has been observed ripping its prey apart for no discernible reason. When a Persian is yanked by its whiskers, it becomes temporarily docile. The reason for this is unknown. Persian is known to hold its tail out straight if it is an experienced battler.

Diet

In the anime

Major appearances

Giovanni has a Persian that is his primary Pokémon. It first appeared in Battle Aboard the St. Anne. While it is almost always seen at his side, it was only seen battling once. Meowth of Team Rocket seems to be its "rival" as Giovanni's "top cat."

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

In Purrrr-sian, Super Nerd Miles is seen using a Persian to attack Yellow. It scratches the walls of buildings to create dissonance to disorient Yellow.

Sird also has a Persian as one of her main team members. While it was probably well-trained and helped Sird obtain her position in Team Rocket, it lost to Lorelei's Slowking, forcing her to pursue other means to win the battle.

Persian has six bold whiskers that give it a look of toughness. The whiskers sense air movements to determine what is in the Pokémon's surrounding vicinity. It becomes docile if grabbed by the whiskers.

Trivia

Origin

Its appearance is arguably more similar to Siamese cats than Persian cats, and its species in Japanese is シャムネコ or "shamuneko" meaning "Siamese Cat". It is also similar to wild cats such as Pumas. The gem on its head makes it resemble a Carbuncle, a Latin-American mythological beast which had a jewel on its forehead.

Name origin

Persian refers to Persian cats. It could also be related to purr, one sound a cat could make.